University of Michigan vs Michigan State (U Mich vs MSU) is a rivalry that dates back more than 100 years. An interview with the head coach of the Michigan State, Tom Izzo, perfectly sums this rivalry up: “Of course I hate them (Michigan). They hate us. The key word is “respect,” and I do respect them a lot.” Michigan is the victor of the all time series against Michigan State, 98-92 (7 games vacated). They also hold the longest winning streak of 12 games, and the current winning streak of one game. Going to my first U Mich vs MSU basketball game at the Breslin Center on January 30 showed me just how jet-fueled this rivalry truly is.Â
As the only Wolverine in my family out of a clan of Spartans, the hatred for the Maize and Blue runs deep. As I dressed in my best maize and blue, my entire family supported the Spartans in their white-out theme… even my younger sister in high school! My older sister, a junior at Michigan State, kept berating me on our walk to the game, insisting that the Wolverines were “going down” and that the Izzone would keep the Wolverines on their toes. Only time would tell…
Walking into the stadium, I expected to feel like a fish out of water. But to my surprise, there were almost as many Michigan fans as State fans, which raised the stakes. I do have to admit, the energy from the Izzone was electric. The Izzone is MSU’s basketball student section, named after their head coach Tom Izzo, who try to throw the opposing team off their game by booing, chanting, and most importantly, being dead silent when Michigan State is shooting free throws. Michigan’s head coach, Dusty May, was in certainly enemy territory sitting down directly in front of the Izzone before the game started!
After getting my hot dog, water, and candied almonds, I was ready to watch a great game. As the game began, Michigan started off hot, taking the lead early on. In fact, they led for the entirety of the first half, and it was looking rough for Michigan State, as they were down 10 points by the end of the first half. They kept attempting three pointers and missed crucial shots to help them catch up. This was upsetting for my family, who weren’t too optimistic going into halftime.Â
After halftime, things really started to get serious. Michigan State made an incredible comeback, tying up the game! It was looking bleak for Michigan State, but their teamwork turned around in a truly remarkable way. The standout player of the game for me was Jeremy Fears Jr. Despite being the shortest player on MSU’s team—though he measures up to 6 feet, 2 inches—he was a force to be reckoned with. He never missed a free throw, and led the Spartans to a tied game. The Breslin Center was as loud as ever, as it was truly a toss up to see who would take the win…
Until it wasn’t. Michigan found a groove within the last 5 minutes of the half, which threw the Spartans off of their game. At this point, everyone knew it was over; Michigan was 10 points up, and Wolverine fans even started to mock the Spartans by singing “Hail to the Victors” and cheering loudly to rile up the MSU fans surrounding them. This led to some verbal fights, with one MSU fan calling out a Michigan fan by comparing him to Lord Farquad from Shrek!
Although as I am a Michigan fan through and through, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the Spartans. I came into the game with a competitive spirit, but it broke my heart a little to see my whole family so disappointed. At the end of the day, a game is just a game. And we will see who reigns victorious during March Madness!